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An Asda spokesman said the promotion, due to run at all 277 of its petrol stations from Friday to Sunday, reflects the savings it has made thanks to the price of unleaded hitting a six-year low.

It is the second time this week the retail heavyweight has cut the price of petrol to less than £1.

Asda's senior petrol director Andy Peake said: "We're adding a further boost by investing in a three-day fuel price drop meaning drivers can now benefit from fuel as low as 99.7ppl in the crucial run-up to the festive period.

"We know our competitors are likely to follow but Asda don't have a postcode lottery on fuel, meaning no matter where customers live, they will benefit from the same fuel price at every single one of our filling stations.”

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Morrisons' retail director confirmed the price cut

Bryan Burger, petrol retail director at Morrisons, said: "Today, for the first time in more than six years, we are moving unleaded prices down to below £1 a litre.

"This is a moment where motorists will feel some relief after being clobbered by tax and price rises for the last decade."

An Asda spokesman said the temporary fuel price cap was not a loss leader but part of its customer-led festive pricing regime that began with its decision to pull out of Black Friday.

They said: "In November we pulled out of Black Friday after we got so much feedback from our customers to invest in other festive products and one of those was fuel. It's just one of many products we have looked at as part of our price investment."

The AA said the temporary fall will bring Asda's petrol price below the £1 mark familiar to drivers on the continent and across the Irish Sea.

RAC Fuel Watch spokesman Simon Williams said: "Another promotional cut to enable motorists to buy petrol at under £1 will no doubt bring early Christmas cheer to many, but we would like to see this price being held for longer than three days with oil under 40 US dollars a barrel and the wholesale price of unleaded down."